A soul as compassionate as yours
by theseriallove
Summary: The event that followed after "American Gothic" - Elena/Elijah style :)
1. Your compassion is a gift

**My re-writing of the Elena/Elijah scenes in 4x18 American Gothic.**

She kept checking her; well Katherine's to be exact, watch. Whoever was 'em' they were late and Elena started to get nervous. She did not know who she's supposed to be expecting. Katherine said that they were a friend of hers. It was weird thinking that she had any friends but she managed to compel the whole town so maybe 'em' was one of the citizens. Elena looked at the time again.

"Katerina," a familiar voice said behind her. She turned around and her eyes made clear what her mind already knew. It was him.

"Elijah?" she said and she could hear a surprise in her voice. _Remember, you're Katherine. _He stepped closer to her."You're a little late, aren't you?" she tried to hide it. She knew that he knew Katherine very well and he also knew her. Her only advantage was that now without her humanity, she's more like her doppelgänger than she used to be. Whether as a human or as a vampire.

"You colored your hair," he was now very close to her. Close enough to touch. "I like it," he said and he pushed the hair on the side of her head behind her ear; doing so, he slightly touched her face. She smiled to ease the air between them because it seemed like it had been full of weird energy. It wasn't uncomfortable but she didn't know what it was and that made her feel different.

"Thank you," he looked at her lips and back into her chocolate brown eyes. "It's actually gonna –" he pulled her to him. His lips were now on hers, closing in a passionate kiss. Of all the scenarios, she never expected it to go this way. She closed her eyes and gave in. His hand was still on her face and he lightly brushed her chin with his thumb. He let go just a little bit and then put one more kiss on her lower lip. Her eyes were still closed until he pulled away far enough for her to look him in the eyes. He was looking on her lips.

"I've missed you," he whispered and looked up. She knew that if she wanted to continue her cover as Katherine she had to pull herself together and pretend that she's used to this.

"And I've missed you," he put his hand on her waist. "Interesting little town you've chosen to settle down. So, do you have it with you?"

She wasn't sure what he was talking about. What he could possible need from Katherine.

"Do I have what?"

"The cure," he said. _Of course he knew about the cure, they've been working together this entire time._ She lightly shook her head and noticed the change in his expression. _She was supposed to bring it to him. But why? It was her only hope to get her freedom back from Klaus. _

"It's in a safe place," she needed more time and she needed to get to Rebekah to plan their next move. "Why don't I go and get it," she placed her right hand on his chest and slightly pouted. "And then I'll bring it back."

She moved pass him and was about to leave when he grabbed her arm and pulled her to him. "Where is Katherine, Elena?"

* * *

"You're both idiots," she said moving away from him with a snore.

"Excuse me?"

"Arr, what happened to you, Elijah? I mean, I thought you were supposed to be a man of honor, and yet you've hooking up with Katherine this entire time?" she didn't want to believe that whatsoever. She thought she knew him and that he learned from his own mistakes to be doing this and yet, there he stood working with the devil.

"I suppose this man of honor has always shared a connection to Katherine," he said and she knew what was doing on. He still loved her. Even after everything she's done he still felt the same way about her. But she wasn't the Katerina he once knew. She was a monster. Elena felt sorry for him.

"She contacted me when she learned about the cure. We thought it could be a mutual used to one another."

"A mutual use," now it was clearer than ever. He was under her spell again. Just like the Salvatore bothers or even Mason once were. And they weren't the only once. "Please, you fell for her trap just like every other one of those idiots."

"You underestimate me, Elena," he moved pass her and she turned around that she could face him. "I know who she is, I know what she's done."

"And you think she's changed," he was blinded by love. His emotions were his burden. Another reason why she turned them off. "She's playing you. She lied to you, Elijah."

"She didn't lie to me about your transformation," he said and then looked deeper into her eyes. He felt that something wasn't right. What happened to the girl he once knew? "You're not just a vampire, though, are you? There's something else, you –" he couldn't figure out what it was about her that wasn't right. "You're not yourself," it was in her eyes. They were empty. They used to be full of life, compassion, love. It was all gone. "You've abounded your emotions. Why?"

"My brother's dead," she said like it was nothing and his face changed in a split of a second. "Your girlfriend killed him," she knew this look. They all had it once they learned the truth. "You didn't know? Of course you didn't."

"She lied," he said with a tone of realizing. She lied to him about that which means she could lie about everything.

"I hate to say I told you so but – Duh," she said.

* * *

"I know what it feels like to lose a brother," he said with compassion. "And I'm sorry for your pain, I – I only hope that you can find a way back to yourself one day."

She didn't want to listen to this. She thought that Elijah was one of the people who didn't compare her to her murderess ancestor. "Just like you hope Katherine will find her way back? You still think that the innocent girl you save from Klaus ages ago is in there somewhere."

"I like to think so, yes," he was so naïve. She needed to make him see how wrong he was.

"She's not. She's a monster now, Elijah. Sweet peasant girl you fell in love with way back then is dead," Elena turned away from the Original standing in front of her. "And she's not coming back."

"I'm not a fool, Elena. Of course this's occurred to me. But what kind of man would I be if I didn't try to find my Katerina beneath this Katherine façade."

"You boys are all the same," she knew what he was talking about. "Damon and Stefan still think that the girl they loved is still in here somewhere too."

"You can't blame them for having hope, Elena," he said and she could hear in his voice a taste of something. Something more than just understanding. "It would be a shame if a world lost a soul as compassionate as yours. "

She remembered.

"Your compassion is a gift, Elena," and so did he. "Carry it with you always and forever." And he also remembered why he wrote that letter in the first place. He did something terrible to the girl who was now standing in front of him. But this girl wasn't the compassionate soul he once knew. This was a shell of a girl who was capable of a big sacrifice to save the ones she loved. Her own life. For the life of her family.

"I remember reading that in a letter once," she said, teasing him.

"The writer sound positively gifted. I'm sure he meant what he wrote."

"I'm sure he did," she said and meant it. She remembered what it was like reading his letter on her window. In her bedroom that is now just a pile of ash. She remembered but the feelings meant nothing to her now. They were just empty shells of what they used to be.

"And it felt good to watch that letter burn," his eyes changed in shock. _What had she done?_ "Along with my old life and along with Jeremy's body."


	2. Two living souls

**Here's chapter two! Hope you like it :)**

* * *

"What did you do, Elena?" he said moving toward her.

"Nothing that should concern YOU," she said walking pass him and she look into the distance.

"Elena?"

She still didn't turn and whispered, "Some things are better buried," in a split of a second he was behind her grabbing her arms and turning her to him. "What did you do, Elena?" He looked deep inside her eyes. "You wanna compel me? I thought you were better than that," she said trying to free herself from his hold. In vain. "I just want you to answer me. "

"I burned down my own house," she said and he let go. "After Damon made me to turn off my emotions, I burned it to the ground. But I guess I would do it anyway. There was nothing there for me anymore. My brother's dead, my parents, Ric, everybody. It seemed like a suitable thing to do."

"Wait? Damon made you? I don't understand," he said indistinctly.

"Your girl didn't tell you that either? Typical, she only cares for herself," she said taking one step toward the original brother. "I am, well technically WAS, sired to Damon. It was his blood that made me a vampire but as soon as I turned my humanity switch off; no feelings, no emotions, no sire bond. He lost control over me."

"Control? Elena, sire bond is not about control, it's about a connection between two individuals that just doesn't have a comparison to anything that humans have."

"Oh, whatever," she sighed. "So what's the plan now, mister? Are you gonna lock me somewhere and keep me there until you get your precious doppelganger back?"

"Sounds good to me," he said grabbing her by her hand and started to walk toward a black SUV.

* * *

They were in the car for an hour and Elena started to get bored. She had no idea where he was taking her but at this point she knew there was nothing she could do about it.

"Where are we going, Elijah?"

"Somewhere where I can keep an eye on you until your boys and my little sister hand over Katherine with the cure," he turned left onto a forest road. "You really think they're gonna do that? They will try to find a way to get me without losing the cure because they are so desperate to use it on me."

"Hm, and why is Rebekah helping them?"

"She's not, actually. She's helping me because once she takes the cure, I won't be able to and there is nothing that anyone can do about it. And I'll be free," she looked from the window. The forest was getting deeper and darker. "Seriously, Elijah, where are we?"

Before he could answer her; a little wooden house appeared in front of them. He stopped the car and they booth get out.

"So my sister wants to take it? That's interesting," he said.

"Not really. She wants to be human, god knows why and I was helping her to get it," she said walking toward the house. "So this is the place that you're going to hold me in until they do what they're told?"

He nodded.

"Fine, we'll just have to make the best of it," she walked in not expecting the need to be invited since there clearly wasn't any human inside the house.

It was pretty inside. Modest but fancy at the same time and really cozy. Elena was looking around wondering how much time does the original standing in the doors spent here. Everything was made of wood but it was also modern. Perfect combination. She looked out of the kitchen window; outside she saw a little rivulet with a headspring. It was beautiful.

"Feel free to look around, my lovely Elena," he said and went back to the car to pick up some things from the truck.

Elena went up the stairs and there were the bedrooms and one bathroom. In one room there was a massive bed, closet, chest of drawer, a lamp and a chair right next to a little bookcase. On the floor under the bed there was a furry rug and the floor itself was wooden just like in the rest of the house. The other room was similar but somehow different; she couldn't really say what the cause was.

"Pick one," he almost scared her.

"You stay here in yours, I'll take the other one," she said with a little smile on her face. "What's in the bag?"

"Something you might need," he said handing her the bag. She opened it. "Katherine's?" she asked when she saw a few pieces of clothes, some bathroom supplies and black lace underwear.

"Yes, my apologies but I somehow didn't think of the possibility of winding up with the other Petrova girl," he said walking downstairs to leave her some space to settle.

She waited for him to leave and then she started unpacking her ancestor's stuff. She found there everything she expected. When she pulled out the lace underwear she wondered if that was really Katherine's or maybe if Elijah didn't picked it up.

She decided to take a shower because as she knew the Salvatore brothers; it will take them some time to come up with a rescue plan for her. She unpacked some shower gel and shampoo with a conditioner and went to the bathroom. She placed her borrowed clothes on a rack, took off her dress and stepped into the shower.

The hot water felt good on her skin. She and Barbie Klaus have been on a road for a while and she needed to clear her body as well as her head. Despite the running water she could hear Elijah doing something downstairs, so she knew he didn't leave. That would have been incredibly stupid of him but some new clothes that weren't worn by her murderous doppelganger would be a nice gesture.

After she stepped out of the shower she wrapped a towel over her body and started looking for a hairdryer. She found it in one of the drawers under the sink. After a while she was finished with the hair and she took a body lotion; she was about to start wrapping in on her body when she heard a knock on the door.

"Elena? Are you there?"

"No, Elijah, I'm running outside in the wood in a towel because I so love nature," she said sarcastically and continued on what she was doing.

"Funny, Elena, I just wanted to know if you have everything you need."

"Interesting, I thought I was a hostage but I'm treated like a houseguest," she laughed letting the towel fall to the ground so she could put the lotion on her tummy. "You might wanna watch some thriller with kidnapping as the main theme so you can better understand what is going on."

"That won't be necessary. And you're not a hostage, not really," he still talking though the door.

"Oh, you don't say," she said. "Then what am I, Elijah?" she asked.

"Can we talk about later when we're in the same room and you're dressed?"

"And why don't you join me, therefore we will be in the same room and I won't need any clothes because you won't be wearing any either," she smiled.

"How about I wait for you in the kitchen? I prepared you something to eat," he said and walked away from the door and Elena heard his steps downstairs.

She quickly dressed up and followed him into the kitchen. "It's a nice place you have here," she said.

"Thank you, Elena. I've had it for a couple of years now. I always come here when I need to relax or think something over."

"Or to kidnap someone," she added.

"Or to keep an eye on someone; yes," he corrected her and handed her a class with blood.

"I like it more when it's fresh, but I guess you don't have some human hostages in the basement."

"No, I really don't," he smiled. "So tell me, Elena, what is it like to be a vampire? For you, I mean, since you never wanted to be one."

She sat on a bar stool while he was preparing something on the worktops. "Well, it was harsh at first; for example, I could only drink blood strait from the vain. First we thought it had something to do with my doppelganger's blood but as it turned out, it was because Damon told me so. My poor sire, he didn't even know he was doing it," she smiled. "Well, but it turned out pretty well for him, for a couple of hours he was actually happy."

"What do you mean?"

"I slept with him," she didn't miss the look in his eyes. Surprise? Jealousy? She couldn't say for sure.

"That's when Stefan and Caroline bend over to figure out why on Earth would I do such a thing and since we had full of experience with Klaus' sired hybrids; it didn't take them that long," he was just looking at her. She moved on her stool and continued: "But it's all behind me now, I'm no longer sired to him and I can live my life however I want."

"That's where you're wrong, Elena," he put down the knife he was holding. "Like I said before, sire bond isn't mind control or compulsion. It's real. It creates a connection between a newborn and her sire. It's more than mind, it's physical. I'm sure you felt it. Every time you were near him, every time you shared a touch, a kiss. Now when you turned off your humanity, you emotions, you turned the sire bond off too. But once you let it in again, the connection will be there."

"And what makes you such an expert? Did this happen to you before? Were you someone's sire?" she asked.

"Not that I'm aware off, no. But I've seen it. Not something like this, but I've seen how the sire bond works. And I refuse to believe that something like that can be destroyed. It is a force that bines two living souls together. Always and forever," he said and his fingers lightly touched hers. But she recoiled; looked at him and walked upstairs to her room.

* * *

**Okay, I know that in the show the sire bond probably won't be recreated but what do you know, Elijah might be wrong.**


	3. A deal with the devil

**Here is another chapter. Hope you like it!**

* * *

She closed the door behind her sharply and leaned against them. She closed her eyes and recalled everything that Elijah just said to her.

_It can't be true, he must be wrong, _she said to herself. _I feel that my love some Damon wasn't real but how can I feel it, when my emotions are off? This is ridiculous! And very confusing! _

Then she remembered Elijah's eyes, their depth. He was so sure of what he was saying. He really believed it, even though he never actually experienced it. Then she looked at her right hand, her fingers. These fingers were attracted to his, just for a split of a second; but they were. And she could still feel it.

"Grr, oh my god, what's happening to me," she talked to herself and started to walk from wall to a wall.

_You just need to calm yourself down, suppress whatever it is you're starting to fell. _

"Picture it, yes; that could work," she said sitting on the bed.

_Imagine a wall; a wall inside your head, your heart. It is massive and it stands between you and your emotions. All the pain, all the guilt, everything. And it stands and it is strong!_

She let out a sigh. Everything was back to normal. She was solid again.

She got up from the bed and went to look though the books in her room.

* * *

Elijah was still. He scared her. But how can emotionless vampire be scared? He felt that need again. The one he felt when he sat with her in the Lockwood mansion.

"_You found a way to save the life of the doppelgänger? " Elena looked at him in a shock when she realized he could be a solution to her survival._

"_Yes, Elena," he said looking up to her. "I did."_

The one he felt when she stabbed herself in front of him at the lake house.

"_I'm gonna have to call your bluff," he said hoping she won't take it as far as she was shadowing to. But then he saw it in her eyes; all of it. Resolve. Courage. Decision._

_And the she did it. She stabbed herself._

A need to help her; to save her.

He made his decision. He no longer cared about getting Katherine back. He knew that as long as he had Elena, the Salvatores won't let anything happen to her; and here was a Petrova doppelganger who was actually worth saving.

He needed plan. He needed something to make her feel again. And as an original vampire, he had it. Compulsion was not one of his favorite skills but she needed it. And he was running out of time.

* * *

"Elena?" he was at her door, knocking.

"I'm not in a mood, Elijah. What do you want?"

"Elena," he said and walking in, "we need to talk."

"About what, huh? What do you wanna talk about, Elijah? More sire bond crap? Or how about your psychic bitchy girlfriend who killed my brother?" she was outrage. "Take you pick," and sarcastic.

"Neither. I wanna talk about you," he said and she sat on the bed. "I mean; look at you. This isn't you. This is not the girl I met in an old abandoned building in the middle of nowhere."

_He walked through the door and then he saw her. Katherine? No, this wasn't Katherine. They looked the same but right from the first sight he could tell it wasn't her. He needed to be sure. In a second he was in front of her. Looking at her. _

_She was scared. So scared._

_He leaned closer. His breath was on her face, her cheek, her throat. So close. And she was scared out of her mind. _

"_Human," he said._

"_It's impossible. Hello there."_

"A girl willing to make a deal with the devil just to keep her family safe."

"_How do I know you're telling the truth?" she was a little concern that an original is in her bedroom but she wasn't stupid. How was she supposed to trust him?_

"_Well, if I wasn't being truthful, all your family would be dead and I'd be taking you to Klaus right now," he was just making a point but the thought of it made Elena chill. "Instead, here I am and I'm prepared to offer you a deal."_

"_What kind of a deal?"_

"A girl who wanted to know the truth about her fate just to learn that she didn't have any."

"_The final part of the ritual. Klaus must drink the blood of the doppelganger. To the point of your death," he said explaining everything they're about to experience._

"_What if it doesn't work, Elena?" Damon was so concern about losing her. He always has._

"_Then I guess I'll just be dead."_

"A girl who was willing to sacrifice herself because it was that simple."

"_You'd think he'd understand why I'm willing to do this," she hoped Damon would. But he's always been this way. Trying to protect her. But this was her choice._

"_Why are you?" Elijah asked her. He wanted to know why. As a human or as a vampire he hadn't come to touch to a soul like Elena's. Willing to sacrifice everything – her own life – for those she loved._

"_I'm the key to breaking the curse. Klaus is here because of me. If I don't stop him, then he's gonna hurt people," she needed to do this. "It's that simple."_

"_You know there is a possibility this elixir won't work. I don't want to mislead you," he looked into her chocolate eyes that were now looking at him as well._

"_I know the chance I'm taking."_

"A girl who always wanted to help others."

"_She wants to kill us all, doesn't she?" he said like he already knew that. Deep down. "She wants to undo the evil she created."_

"_I'm so sorry, Elijah. I wish there was something I could do to help," she really did wanna help him. She wanted to save him, just like he wanted to save her from Klaus._

"_You know, one thing I've learned with my time on this Earth… be careful what you wish for."_

Elena was looking at him trying to figure out what was his attention for bringing this out. She stood up to face him.

"And I want her back, Elena. I want to help you to be that girl again," he moved closer to her.

"No, you don't, Elijah. That girl was weak, fragile, human, even when she was a vampire."

"Yes, human, full of compassion and love," one step closer. He looked deep into her eyes.

"Turn it on!"

* * *

**What would you like to see next?**


	4. Don't make promises

**Thank you so much for your reviews! **

* * *

_"Turn it on!"_

It was like breaking a dam. One hard stroke. And another. And another. And then the wall fell. The wall that was holding all of her emotions and feelings hidden from her. And it filled her mind and heart and soul with everything she buried deep inside her.

Elena's eyes filled with everything.

Everything.

Guilt. Grief. Loss. Fear. Shame. Pain.

And Elijah stepped back. He never witnessed something like this directly. And seeing it on Elena was more painful than he could even imagine.

She broke.

"Oh my god, oh my god," she whispered at first but then her voice broke free. "What did I do? And Jeremy! Oh my god, Jeremy!"

Her eyes filled with tears and she felt to the ground. Elijah was faster. He caught her before she hit the floor. He held her in his arms but it was difficult. She fought. She didn't want comfort. After everything she did. She tried to kill Caroline, her best friend. The things she said to her. And what she did to Elijah?

"No, no! Let me go, Elijah!" she still fought his tight embrace. "Let me go!"

"Calm down, Elena, it's gonna be okay. Please, just try to calm down," Elijah tried to comfort her. To calm her down. She was in agony.

"No it's not, it's not! Elijah, please, let me go!" she cried and he did.

She crawled away from him to the other side of the bed. She crunched her leg to her belly and hugged them. She started to swing. And she cried.

Elijah expected that Jeremy's death would affect her but this was too much even for him. Now he understood why Damon did what he did. He did it to protect her. To save her. Because he loved her.

"Elena, dear," he got a little closer. Just a little. He didn't want to scare her away from him. "Do you hear me?" It was like she was in another world. And he wasn't in it. "Elena, please, talk to me," he begged her now.

"He's dead, Elijah. My brother's dead," she whispered.

"I know," he said and got closer again.

"I couldn't protect him. It's my fault. I wasn't strong enough. And it was all for nothing!" her voice rose again and she got up and run to the chest of drawers above which there was a mirror. She looked at her own reflection; and she couldn't hold it in anymore. She broke the glass with her right hand. Elijah was behind her in a second. Slowly touching her arms on each side waiting for her to push him away. But she held still. Finding comfort in his touch. Finally. She started to expect what'd happened. She closed her eyes.

"That's it, Elena," he said with a comfort tone in his voice. "Just breathe. In and out," he guided her breathing even though she didn't need to breath. She was a vampire. And the creatures of the night don't need air to survive. But it was comforting and everything that would remind her that she's human; or at least used to be; was a good way to get her through everything.

"In and out," she finally calmed down. A little. The tears were still falling from her eyes but her body was now calm. He closed his eyes as well.

"Elijah?" at the sound of his name he opened them again and looked at her reflection in the few pieces that left from the mirror. "What am I supposed to do?"

He slowly turned her around and she looked up to him underneath her long dark lashes. She looked like a little girl who just realized that Santa wasn't real. He raised his hand and lightly stroked her cheek with his thumb. Along with it he caught one of the tears that were still falling down her face.

"Right now, you have to deal with everything. You had your humanity off, Elena. And now all of your feelings and emotions are coming back to you. In waves. And you're gonna have to deal with it," he said, his hand still on her face. "And I will help you, Elena. I prom-"

"Don't! Don't make promises," she put her finger on his lips. "The last person who promised me something failed me."

Elijah's face changed in confusion.

"He promised to never leave me again," she said and her eyes could tell that she remembered that moment very well.

_He put his hand on her leg, "I promise you. I will never leave you again."_

"Damon promised you?" he moved her hand away just a little bit. She nodded. "What happened? He left you?"

"Well, I guess not. I don't know," she ran her hand through her hair. "Everything is so confusing."

"I know, believe me," he said and she looked at him. "Elena? Do you trust me?"

She raised her hand to him and lightly touched his face with her fingertips.

He waited.

"Yes, Elijah. I trust you," she said and he invited her into a warm embrace. He held her tight. His hands were stroking her back and she just held hers close to her heart; closing her eyes in piece.

* * *

**I'm sorry this one is short, but I will be uploading soon.**


	5. One of your memories

**I'm sorry this chapter took me so long even though I promised it soon. I got a new job and everthing is crazy right now with school. Hope you're still gonna enjoy this.**

* * *

He slowly scooped her up and carried her to the bed. He laid her down and covered her with a blanket. He was about to leave when she touched his hand.

"Elijah?" she whispered but he could still hear her. "Would you stay?" she asked looking up to him. He took the chair and brought it to the bed, sitting on it. He smiled at her and she smiled back. Just a little. But it was enough. Then she closed her eyes and fall asleep.

"_She's here!"_

"_Who?" Stefan asked her. Katherine. Katherine was here and she's going after the cure. _

"_We have to stop her! Jeremy!" she yelled though the cave. "Oh my god!" he just lay there. On the ground with his eyes open but there was no life in them. "No! Jeremy!" she hurried to him and she held his body. Dead body. But then she saw it. He was wearing the Gilbert ring._

"_You're gonna be okay. The ring will bring you back; everything is going to be okay!"_

"Jeremy!" she screamed from her dream. And he was right beside her. Holding her in his arms trying to wake her up from the dream.

"Elena, dear, wake up," it was like she was kept in that dream state by some force because he couldn't make her to wake up. Then she opened her eyes. Eyes that were filled with fear. Pain.

"Shh, it's gonna be okay, Elena. Just relax," he was comforting her. "It was just a nightmare."

"No, it wasn't a nightmare, Elijah," she said moving herself away so he could properly lie next to her; still holding her. "It was a memory. A memory of Jeremy's death. But it was so vivid. Like it was happening right now."

She was shaking.

"I understand. Just relax and try to fall asleep again, Elena. You need your rest."

"No, I can't, Elijah. If I do I'm gonna see it again and I just can't, please don't make me," she said with sobbing. "Would you tell me a story?"

"Sure, what would you like to hear?"

"It doesn't matter. Anything. I like when you're telling me stories. Just pick something beautiful, you've lived more lives than I can count, so what's your best memory?"

He was quit a little while, and then he crossed his legs and the ankles and started.

"It was about 20 years after we came here, to the new world. We were a family. Human family. Everything was just like it was supposed to be. My youngest brother, Henrik, just turned five and my mother made us all a big dinner. At night we were sitting around fire and we were singing. Everyone from the village was there and it was beautiful," Elena closed her eyes and she started to picture it.

"It sounds wonderful, peaceful," she said and he nodded. "Let me show you," he said and he brushed her hair with his hand.

Suddenly Elena's picture somehow changed. It was more colorful, more alive, more real. It was a cold night. People were sitting around a fire and they were singing and dancing. One of the men stood up and went straight to her.

"Welcome to my human life, dear Elena," he said and Elena knew it was him. Elijah. Human Elijah. The fire casted a shadows on his face and he was more beautiful than ever.

"Are we in one of your memories?"

"Yes," he came closer. "This is the night before the full moon. The night before Niklaus took Henrik to watch the man turn into beasts. The last night we were actually happy." Elena looked back to the fire and the people around it. They really were happy.

"Come with me," he said and offered her his hand. "But Elijah –" she wanted to warn him that she can't go because she's from another world. And so is her clothing. But when she looked down she saw it. Her dress. It changed. And her hair as well. She belonged.

He smiled.

"Come, I want to introduce you to my family, my dear Elena," she placed her hand into his and they walked to the circle that was Elijah's family. "But Elijah, I'm a doppelgänger. What about Tatia? They are going to recognize me," he looked back at her. "You do not need to worry. This is just a memory. Everything is going to be just fine, my sweet darling."

"Mother?" a woman closest to them raised and turned to face them.

Esther.

Elena remembered her. She looked different but it was still her. She also remembered what she did. She wanted to kill off her whole family. _To undo the evil she created, _Elijah's words crossed her mind.

"Yes, son?"

"I would like to introduce you to someone very special to me, mother," he said and turned to Elena.

She didn't exactly know how to act but something was telling her what to do. "My name is Elena," she said. "I am a friend of your son, madam. "

"A friend of Elijah's is also my friend, my dear. Please, call my Esther," the woman said and offered Elena a place to sit next to her. Elijah then sat to her right side. Elena felt like she was born in that time. Was that Elijah's illusion he created in her? Or maybe it is because it felt so good there, with him.

"Mother, Elena would like to hear one of your stories, would you tell her?" Esther smiled and then she started telling them her story. She was amazing story teller. She made it sound like a fairytale. Everyone around the fire was quit and everybody was listening to her. She talked about the old world and their life in Europe. And while telling she held Mikael's hand in hers and from time to time she smiled at him, remembering how beautiful it was back then. She also mentioned their first child who they lost to the plague. Elena remembered this part of the story from Rebekah. That was the reason they left Europe and came here, to live with the wolves.

During Esther's telling Elena was looking around the fire. She recognized Rebekah, who was sitting next to Kol and then there was Finn. They both were killed, practically by her hands.

"I'm sorry, excuse me, I have to –" she was shaking and she left the circle. Elijah went straight behind her.

"Elena?" he turned her to him. "What's wrong?" She was sobbing.

"I just, I cannot believe that I made you lose all of this."

"What? Darling, what are you talking about?"

"Your family. You tried so hard, as Klaus did, to make this family whole again and then I came and destroyed that," he was confused. "I killed two of your brothers, Elijah!" He now understood. His face showed it all. He did not know about Kol.

_Brothers._

"Brothers?" he said. Elena understood now too. He really didn't know. She thought that Katherine would tell him the second she would found out but she must have had bigger plans with this information. Plans for her and how to make her life even more miserable than it already is.

"I'm so sorry, Elijah. I didn't realize that Katherine wouldn't tell you," he was quit. He just stood there, his face as pale as human's can get and with the shadows on his face he looked like a statue.

"Elijah, just – take us back and I'm explain everything, please," she touched his arm. Stills nothing. Then something in his eyes had changed.

"No, Elena, we're not going back. You're going to tell what happened right here and right now," he was deadly serious.

* * *

**What would you like to see next?**


	6. Some time alone

**Thank you so much for your reviews! **

* * *

She was scared. She never saw him act like that. But he had every right to be like this. She knew how she felt about Katherine killing Jeremy. The difference was that she hated her; but what Elijah and she had it was something else. Honestly she didn't know what they had, but it was not hate; at least not until now.

"Elijah, please, I promise I'll tell you everything just –" he didn't let her finish.

He grabbed her by her arm and took her with him to one of the houses. He closed the door. It was dark, there were only a couple of candles burning.

"Sit," he said and pointed to a chair. She sat. Not arguing. She knew it would only make things worse. He grabbed another chair and sat in front of her.

"What happened while I was gone, Elena?"

She didn't know where to start but she knew that wherever it would be, he's not gonna like it.

"After I became a vampire everything had changed. For me and for everyone around me," she started from the beginning. "Because of my transformation and the sire bond I was becoming a different person. A person that Stefan couldn't love, because he loved the girl who died on the Wickery Bridge."

He sat still. He was just listening to her.

"When we find out about the cure he was so eager to get it for me. So I could be human again," she sighed. "His fragile human Elena he felt in love with. Damon's different. He never stopped loving me despite what I was and everything I've done. "

She stopped talking for a moment; lining up her thoughts.

"We were told that Jeremy's mark is the key to the map from the cure and that the only way it's gonna complete itself is for him to keep killing vampires. Unfortunately we didn't realize that his urge to kill them was going to get stronger. That he's going to wanna kill us," she continued her story with her eyes still on Elijah's. She wanted to be looking into his eyes when her story comes to an end but somehow she knew she's not going to able to.

"Then Kol showed up," she could see the changed in his eyes despite the lack of light in the room. "He was talking about Silas. That if we go after the cure and try to wake him, he's gonna unleash hell on earth. Nobody believed him because everyone had their own reason for finding the cure. So your brother tried to fight us by getting rid of the only thing that could lead us to the cure and to Silas. The hunter's mark. My brother. He was so scared of Silas that it made him paranoid and not even Klaus could stop him. And he went after my brother," she stopped again. Remembering the moment that Kol went after Jeremy. And how she tried so hard to stop him but she wasn't strong enough.

_Kol drove a wooden stake through her belly and she couldn't do anything about her brother being dragged by a psychotic original vampire down the stairs. She tried so hard to free herself. And after she finally run the stake though her side she got downstairs to save the person she loved the most in the world. _

_She saw him. He was about to chop off her brother's arms just to prevent himself from the hunter's curse. She couldn't let that happen._

"I had to do something, Elijah," she looked into his eyes for the last time before she looked down. "I- I figured that if Jeremy killed him, his mark would grow from all the vampires that would die after Kol. But when it went down to the kill. It had nothing to do with the cure. I just had to save my brother. The only family I had left."

She was afraid to look up. She couldn't even imagine must have gone through his mind right now.

What he must have felt?

Pain? Sorrow? Betrayal?

She finally decided to raise her head and look up. He was staring into dark. Not at her. Still.

"Elijah?" she whispered. She needed some reaction from him. "Elijah, please, say something. Say you hate, that you wish I was dead, anything please," she need something. Because this moment was what was really killing her.

"Elena?" he said quietly. "Did you kill my brother for the cure or because you wanted to save yours?"

"I must confess that finding the cure was something very important to us. No matter what we had to do to get it. But like I said. When it came down to killing your brother, it was only to protect mine," how improbably it must have seemed, she knew deep down that it was true.

"I believe you," he said simply and looked at her. She could tell that he was also being truthful. "I'm not saying that I'm ready to forgive you," he took her hand into his and he was stroking her joints. "It will take me some time but I also believe that our bond; the thing that is between us that we cherished for so long; is stronger than that."

She placed her other hand over theirs and look deep inside his eyes. "I'm sure it is and I'll give you all the time you need. Now, let's go back."

"Can I – Can I have some time alone, please?" he asked her.

"Of course," she said and walked out of the house leaving him on his own.

It felt kind of strange to walk around in the world that she technically didn't belong to but somehow it felt more like home than anywhere since Jeremy died. She went to the fire and sat. There was no one there anymore.

_They probably went to hide before the full moon hits its apex, _Elena thought.

Despite the fact that this was just Elijah's memory, it seemed more real than anything she had experienced recently. She wondered what the cause was.

She had no idea how long it's gonna take him to forgive her or to only except the fact that she's the reason his brother's dead.

_Put yourself in his place, _something inside her was telling her.

* * *

He was still sitting on his original spot. Trying to organize his thoughts and emotions. It wasn't easy. And the fact that it was Elena made it even worse. He understood why she did what she did. They booth shared the same values. _Honor. Loyalty. Family. _And she was only trying to protect hers. It was that simple. He knew he would do anything for his family and so would she. They were, indeed, the same.

"Elena?" she heard her name coming from the house.

"Yes?" he walked out of the door.

"Let's go back," he said and offered her his hand. She lightly smiled and put her left hand in his.

* * *

**Not yet sure what's going to happen next but I will keep in touch!**


	7. Her lullaby

**Okay, here is another chapter. Hope you like it.**

* * *

She woke up from the dream he gave her but he wasn't in her room anymore. She sighed. _He needs time, _she told herself. And she was right. Nothing can heal a wound like that but time. Time will make him forget or at least it will give him the illusion that the wound doesn't hurt that much anymore.

And she also knew that he won't turn his emotions off. Not like she did. He's stronger than that, he always has been.

She wanted to be there for him.

Now, they both live though a terrible loss.

_We both lost our brothers, but I have the rest of my family, _Elijah thought, _but what about her? _He looked up through the sealing. _She doesn't have anybody. No family. No friends. _

_She has you, _something in him said.

_Yes, _he thought, _she has me. Always and forever._

She still lied on her bed. Her arms around her bended knees covering her head. She was thinking about Jeremy. Her little brother. He was so young, so innocent. He didn't deserve to die. Nobody should die that young. Nobody.

"_Yeah, my brother just chopped off someone's head," she was furious. Why has this happened? "It's not right. It's not fair. He's sixteen years old. He shouldn't have to live like this. There has to be another way."_

And they thought they found another way. A way to fix it. But it got to him anyway.

"Elena?" Elijah was standing in the door. She raised her head. Her eyes were teary. She quickly ran her fingers under them to get rid of the tears.

"Yes, Elijah?" he walked to the bed and sat on the chair next to it.

"I'm sorry about your bother, Elena. And I know that you're sorry about mine. We both lost something that was very important to us. Our family and I want to help you get through this," he said taking her hand into his. She smiled a little.

"Thank you and I want to help you too, with anything that you would need."

He smiled too.

"All right then, I hope you will accompany me," she looked at him inquiringly. "I want to show you something."

* * *

When they walked out of the house it was getting darker. Elijah offered her his arm and she gladly took it. They walked side by side throughout the woods for a while and then they came across a beautiful quiet meadow.

"Wow," she sighed.

"I know, isn't it a peaceful place?" he smiled. They walked together into the center of the meadow. Elena saw a little rivulet on the other side. When they got to it somehow the trees around them parted and they could see the horizon with breaking sunset.

"Oh, Elijah, it's so beautiful," she said placing her hand above her eyes. She felt free, alive. After a moment she sat on the ground, her legs bend in knees. She ran her fingers through the warm glass.

He was just watching her. He didn't need anything else that to see her like that. Alive. As alive as a vampire can be.

_Hush little baby, don't you cry,_

_Mommy's gonna buy you a pumpkin pie._

_And if that pie doesn't take real good,_

_Mommy's gonna buy you some other kind of food…_

"What is it?" Elijah asked Elena when she started sing quietly.

"Oh," she didn't realize that he could hear her. "That's something my mother sang to me and Jeremy when we couldn't sleep. She always sang it differently so it was always a mystery for us what's going to be next."

"I see," he said and he sat on the grass next to her. "My mother used to sing us as well."

"Really? Please, Elijah I want to hear something," she begged him. He nodded and started to sing the most beautiful song she's ever heard. It wasn't English so she couldn't understand the words of the song but the melody made it seem that it was clear as glass. Somehow she understood every word.

Elena's eyes started to get heavy. Partly because of Elijah's lullaby and also due to the day they just live through. He noticed and moved closer to her that she could lay her back on his chest. Then she took his right hand into hers and held it in her lap.

After some time which could be a minute or a forever, he stopped singing and listed to her heart to find out if she was sleeping.

She was.

He slowly lied his body down on his back and he took her with him; making sure he wouldn't wake her up. She deserved to rest.

She curled up on his chest, her ear on his heart. That was her favorite sound. He held her tight like he would never want her to leave but at the same time not too tight because he was afraid he could break her. He was still looking at his precious Elena in his arms. Something in him didn't want him to close his eyes, because he was scared that this moment would end. And he wanted it to last.

Always and forever.

He could still feel her lips on his. He should've realized earlier that she wasn't Katherine. Right in the moment he saw her but without he humanity from distance she seemed like her. But he knew. Her lips talked to him. They might be shaped like lips of all the doppelgangers but at the same time they were so different. So soft, warm. When he touched them it was like – that is what he imagined heaven must felt like. He would give up anything to feel that again. But deep down he knew that Elena could never be his. Her heart belonged to the Salvatore brothers. And Elijah was not one to share. But at that moment he promised himself that he would wait for her. It might take years but he knew that his happiness lied in his arms right now. She was all he even wanted, what he even needed. And he finally admitted himself what he felt for her from the beginning.

He loved her. He will always love her.

* * *

**I have some ideas about a twist, but I don't know which one I'm gonna follow yet.**


	8. Another chance

When they got back home Elijah took her to the kitchen and prepared both of them something to drink.

"Thank you, Elijah," Elena said when he handed her a glass of blood. He smiled. "So, what is the plan now?"

"Honestly, Elena. I do not know," he said. He really didn't know. So many things had changed. It wasn't so easy for him anymore. Her humanity was back on and he found himself not wanting to release her from his holding. If he did, she would go straight back to the Salvatore brothers. To Damon. Even if the sire bond got broken by her turning her humanity off, he knew that she loved him. He'd seen it. Every time he had the pleasure the see them together. She might cover it up and deny it but her action could not.

_What to do when the love of your life loves another one? _

The question ran through his head and he couldn't find his answer. At least not now.

"You don't say," she replied. He lost track of what she was saying. Elena noticed. "Elijah, is something wrong?"

He signed.

"Tell me," she insisted. Placing her palm on the back of his hand.

"It's nothing, Elena. I should call Stefan if they had any success in finding the cure," he said and stood up taking his hand from Elena.

"I doubt it," she said. "The cure is Katherine's only chance to win her freedom back from Klaus. She's not gonna give it to them."

"She was willing to give it to me."

"Yes, but she just wanted to use it to bargain her freedom. That's what she does. She was using you, Elijah," she went with him to the couch. He sat on the one edge, she on the other putting her feet up bending her legs in knees.

"Maybe if you knew her when she was human, you would understand my point of view, Elena," he signed and drank a little bit from his glass.

"I understand why you felt in love with her. Don't get me wrong in the way, Elijah. It's just – You still do. After everything that she's done to you, to your family. She's not the person she used to be. And she's never going to be again, you're just fooling yourself if you still think so," she now tried to get him to understand her point of view.

"What can I tell you, Elena," he said turning himself to her. "I guess I'm not the only one."

"What do you talking about?" she was confused.

"I'm talking about Damon," he said simply. "Despite everything he's done you were still able to forgive him."

"_There has to be another way," Damon was so willing to save her even despite her wishes. _

"_There isn't," she knew what she was getting herself into. Elijah's elixir was not certain chance for her survival. But it was the only way to keep Bonnie alive. If she tried to kill him without getting Klaus into transformation of the full moon and broken curse, she would die. And Elena couldn't let that happen. She promised herself that nobody would get hurt on her or Klaus' behalf. _

"_And you're gonna die, Elena?" _

"_And then I'll come back to life," she was so sure._

"_That is not a risk I'm willing to take."_

"_But I am. It's my life, Damon. My choice."_

"_I can't lose you."_

"_You won't."_

_Then something happened. Elijah was downstairs and he could hear Elena's heart. _

"_There's another way," Damon said. _

"_What do you – " then her heart stopped. He did something. _

"_Damon, no! Damon, no!" and in that moment her heart went crazy. Elijah wanted to get there but Stefan was faster. Damon actually did it. He fed Elena his blood to make sure that she would come back to life. That he would see her again. Selfish impulsive young vampire. _

"_Sounds like you won't be needing this anymore," Elijah said when Damon walked in. _

"_She'll never forgive you. And never for a vampire – it's a very long time."_

"That's different," she said.

"How, Elena? How is it different?" he said standing up to face her down. Damon was willing to turn you into a vampire if that grant him to see her again. "He fed you his blood, Elena. And yet you were still able to forgive him."

Elena now understood. It was about Damon.

"Yes, Elijah. I forgave him because despite the fact of how Damon is selfish, everything he has ever done – he was doing it for love. For me," she said. "He loved me, that's way I had it in my heart to give him another chance. I thought that you would understand that," something in her really thought that someone like Elijah would understand doing the wrong things for good reasons. And love was a good reason. Damon didn't always used to best ways but that was just him. He's always been like that. "But everything Katherine has ever done was for her, not for you, not for Stefan or Damon or anyone else. It was only for herself."

"_You don't even care that you ruined their lives," Elena could never understand this. _

"_I was looking out for myself, Elena," Katherine said like it was so obvious choice for everybody. "I will always look out for myself. If you're smart, you do the same."_

_But she didn't._

"I know that, Elena. I gave up on Katherine a long time ago but then I met you. You are the reason I started hoping again. Hoping that my human Katerina might still be in there," he said looking at her with such bright eyes like there was a living flame inside them. "Because I saw in you what I have lost in her," he looked into her eyes and saw that she misunderstood him. He wasn't one the others who wanted her and loved just because she looked like her ancestor. "You values, Elena," her eyes softened. She now understood even though this was not the first time he told her that.

"_I admire you, Elena," he said. "You remind me of qualities I valued long before my mother turned us," she didn't know where he was going with this but his next words made it clear. "It's not in your nature to be deceitful and yet when I asked about your meeting with my mother the other night – you lied to my face."_

"_It's not true," she tried to cover it up. That was the plan. Esther did not want them to know what she was planning. "I told you that all your mother wanted was a new start –"_

"_I can hear your heartbeat," and in that moment she realized, she cannot fool an original vampire and especially not the one who was now standing in front of her. "It jumps when you're being dishonest with me. You lied to me at the ball; you're lying to me now. Tell me the truth."_

He just wanted his lost love back not realizing that she's already gone.

"I'm sorry Elijah," she stood up to face him. "I know what you're going through. When Stefan was gone with your brother I so wanted to get him back. I was hard but I didn't want to give up hope. And I know that you want to same with Katherine," she said placing her hand on his arm to comfort him.

And then something happened. It was so fast that even vampire senses did not Elena to react or to do something about it.

Elijah turned his back to her to catch a wooden stake that was aimed for his heart. Even though as an original vampire it would not kill him. It definitely would give them a head start. Then Elijah grabbed Elena into his arms and ran with her to his car but something was probably wrong because he lifted her up and ran away with her.

"Elijah? What is happening?" she yelled in her arms with wind slapping her face.

"Stefan and Damon," he said. It was them. Of course it would be them. Elena knew that Damon would try something stupid to get her out. But he kept his promise. He would really never leave her.

After a while he stopped and put Elena on the ground.

"It wasn't right," he said.

"What do you mean?"

"It was too easy," he was looking around. "Damon is impulsive but he is not stupid. That attack was absolutely worthless and he must have known that."

"Elijah, what are you talking about?" she asked.

"Hello, brother," a familiar voice said and they both turned around.

Rebekah.

* * *

**The next chapter will probably be the last one :)**


	9. Always and Forever

**Okay, this is the last chapter. I hope enjoyed my first longer fanfiction just as much as I enjoeyd writing it :)**

* * *

"Sister. I would like to say that I am pleased to see you again," Elijah said to his little sister and stood before Elena. "But I can't. Where are Katherine and the cure?"

"I'm sorry, brother, but I can't have you ruin my plan of becoming human. And they -" she said and the Salvatore brothers appeared behind or her on each side. "They want their precious Elena back, so – Are we going to do this the easy way or the hard way?"

"I'm asking you again, sister, where is Katherine?" he repeated.

"What do you think? She flew again; with the cure, may I add."

"So why are you helping them?"

"She knows that if something happens to Elena, she has no chance of finding the cure," Stefan said.

"Elijah?" Elena wanted to have a word in this discussion as well.

"Not now, Elena," he said still facing the trio in front of him.

Out of the blue the well-known doppelganger showed up and took down both brothers.

"No!" Elena screamed and wanted to run to them but Elijah wouldn't let her. Katherine was gone and no one knew where she was and she's planning on doing next.

"Katerina?!" Elijah said loudly. "What game are you playing?" he said now with much quieter voice.

Elena had a bad feeling. _Why had she come back? She had everything she needed to break free from Klaus, _and then it got to her. _She couldn't do it alone; she needed someone to break the deal for her, that's why she needed Elijah in the first place._

In a split of a second Rebekah was face down and Elijah was the only one standing between two women from the Petrova bloodline. Both the he cared about once in his time. And now he must protect the one he couldn't live without. He had to decide. Either he's going to kill the one he once loved or he's gonna lose the one he loves now.

_Which of them was really worth saving?_

He knew his answer to this question before he even asked it for himself.

"Katerina!" he yelled. Nothing happened. He had to make her come out. Now. "We have everything we need, my darling," he said. "I have Elena, you have the cure. We can make deal with my brother! We will give him a doppelgänger and a way to make her human again. That is all he has ever wanted. We'll be free and we can start over. It's our turn!"

With those words Katherine appeared in front of them with a light smile on her face. She stepped forward to the man she hoped would grant her freedom. If only she knew what she was getting herself into.

Elijah used his vampire speed and ran to Katherine cupping her face with his left hand running his thumb across her cheek. She leaned into his touch.

"I'm sorry," he said and he ran his right hand through her chest ripping her heart out. She was looking at him with her almost dead eyes; a tear rolling down her cheek. Elijah caught it with his finger.

Elena was just standing there. She could not believe what she just witnessed. Elijah, the most gentle man she had ever know, ripped a beating heart out of a chest of a girl he loved for centuries.

Elijah kneeled on the ground with Katherine's dead body in his arms. Elena didn't know what to do.

"Elijah, I-" she was speechless.

"Elena," he whispered. "Please, could you go back to the house? I will take care of this."

She nodded and disappeared. He knew if she wanted to she could ran away. Away from him. To return to Mystic Falls or practically wherever she wanted. It was up to her.

* * *

Elena was so confused by everything that had happened. Elijah just killed Katherine in cold blood. And he did it to save her.

She knew that he wasn't following her and she knew that she could disappear. Forever. But she found herself not wanting to. She wanted to stay with the man who just proved that he loved her. And deep down inside she knew that she cared for him. Maybe not as much he does for her but it was more than a friendship or alliance. She couldn't really point her finger on it but it was there. It had always been there and now it was rushing to the surface. Screaming.

She got to the house and she went to the living room lying on the couch.

_I'll wait him out, _she said to herself. _I need to know what happened._

And she waited. But he wasn't coming. Not for a long time and she felt asleep.

* * *

He returned to the house waiting outside not sure what to expect. He wanted so much to find her there waiting for him but something in him was telling him that she was not. _How could she? _What would make to return to this house? The house he held her as a hostage?

But then he walked in and listened. He heard it.

Her heartbeat.

He loved the sound of her heart. Now it was steady, peaceful.

_She's sleeping, _he thought and he was expecting to find her in her bedroom but when he walked into the kitchen he could see her on the couch. Just lying there. Waiting for him to return. And now he was there. He walked through the door and went straight to the sleeping vampire.

_So beautiful, _he thought.

And she was. Despite everything she looked beautiful. So peaceful like nothing had happened.

He wished.

He wished so much that he could turn back time and undo everything. Or at least freeze this moment that she could never wake up and stayed in this state forever.

He kneeled to her head and used his fingers to pull away pieces of hair out of her angelic face.

"Oh, my lovely Elena," he signed. "I so wish you could stay like this forever."

He put one hand under her knees and the other under her head a lifted her up into his arms. She didn't wake up and he took her up to her room. He placed her down on her bed and took off her shoes to make her more comfortable. He covered her body with a blanket and bended over to give her a kiss on a forehead.

"Elijah?" she woke up lightly. "What happened? I was waiting for you."

"I know," he whispered. "I will tell you everything in the morning, now, please, go to sleep."

"Sing to me, please," she said. He nodded and pulled in a chair. But she moved herself a little bit and pulled off her blanket to make space for him. "Come to me," she said simply and he took down his shoes and did as he was told without further do. She smiled and curled up on his chest just like the last time. And Elijah sang.

In her sleep he took them into one of his memories again. They were in Prague somewhere in the last century. It was beautiful. They were standing on a magnificent bridge and they were looking down on a river that ran under it. Elena had never been anywhere so visiting those places with Elijah was something remarkable.

"Are you going to tell me what happened out there, Elijah?" she asked him. He was quiet for a while and then he decided to tell her the truth. He would never do it any other way.

"You don't have to worry, Elena. Both of the Salvatore brothers are all right. But I had to put them under my compulsion so they returned home and my sister is also fine. After she found out that Katherine was dead she ran to find the cure on her own," he explained.

"And about Katherine," she said. "Why? I mean, why did you kill her? You loved her and yet you took her life to save mine."

"Is not saving a life that is actually worth saving a reason that is good enough for taking a life that was lost all along?" he explained himself simply.

"Thank you," she said. "I know it must have been hard for you and that is also why I have one favor to ask you."

"Yes?"

"I need you to compel them, Damon and Stefan. You saw what happened today. People die because of me and I can't stand that anymore. Nobody else can get hurt because of me. I won't allow it. I need you to tell them to move on," she looked straight into his eyes. "So they know that I'm safe and I'm good on my own. Stefan should find his happiness. Somewhere far away. He deserves it. And Damon," she paused. Elijah could tell that this was hard for her but he understood why she was doing it. "Damon should be happy too. He spent century and a half looking for someone who didn't want to be found. And then he felt in love with his brother's girl and after she could finally admit her feelings for him a sire bond got into their way," she was talking about herself in the third person. That's how he could tell she's preparing herself for letting him go. "He deserves happiness more than anyone I know."

Elijah nodded with a faked smile on his lips.

"Thank you."

* * *

When she woke up he was there, lying next to her.

"You stayed," she whispered.

"Not the whole night," he said. "I went to Mystic Falls to grant your wish, my lovely Elena."

She looked down on her hands. He noticed it.

"Have you changed your mind? Do you want me to undo it?"

"No! No, it's just – it will take me some time to somehow get over it. Now I'm going to have to live another life. I don't want to put anyone else I love in danger. I will go home to say my goodbyes and then I'll leave."

"Where are you going to go?" he asked.

"I'm not sure yet," she said. "Somewhere that no one knows who I am. And because what I am, I have to stay in the shadow. I can't afford to get to know more people and care for them because that is what puts them in danger."

"Lonely life in not something I would wish for you, Elena," he said sincerely. "You have to have someone to be with you, otherwise living forever has no meaning."

"I understand your point of view, Elijah, but – how could I do that to somebody? Willingly put them at risk? I – I can't do that."

They were now lying on their sides facing each other. Elijah pulled hair from off her face. "You can," he said.

She didn't understand what he was saying but his next move cleared this thought.

His hand stayed cupping her face and he moved himself closer to her. Not fast so she could see it coming and move away. But she didn't. He closed his eyes and placed his lips over hers. He could hear her sigh. It was different than the first time because now they were themselves. She closed her eyes as well and slightly parted her lips to give him promotion between them. The kiss changed from light to very passionate one and they both wish they could stay like that forever.

After they moved apart but just a little bit so they could still feel each other's warmth, Elena moved her fingers across Elijah's face.

"Maybe I can," was all she said and it was enough for him.

"I love you, Elena," he said. She smiled but didn't say it back and he didn't expect her to. That's what was so beautiful about their connection. They understood each other. He knew that she wasn't ready to say it to him but he knew that when the time comes he would be there. Because he's never going to leave her. He would be with her.

_Always and forever._


End file.
